OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
10:50 AM – Saturday, April 4, 2026
Working alongside Puerto Rican authorities, the United States Coast Guard has rescued five people, including three federal agents, off the coast of Isla de Cabras in Toa Baja.
The Coast Guard, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), shared dramatic video footage of the rescue mission on Friday.
Shortly after 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Coast Guard watchstanders in San Juan received a report from Puerto Rico Police’s Joint Forces of Rapid Action (FURA) about a capsized vessel.
The guard issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast to alert other nearby vessels. It also deployed a Station San Juan 45-foot Response Boat Medium, an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations unit to carry out a rescue operation. A Puerto Rico Police helicopter also helped to locate the capsized boat.
10-foot swells flipped the CBP unit’s boat as it approached two stranded boaters, however, throwing three agents into the water. The San Juan boat crew could not reach them due to the turbulent sea conditions.
The Puerto Rican helicopter rescued one of the CBP agents and one of the boaters, transporting them safely to Isla de Cabras.
The Coast Guard aircrew then sent a rescue swimmer to hoist the other two agents and the remaining boater onto its helicopter.
The survivors were received by Puerto Rico Emergency Medical Service personnel and treated for minor injuries at the Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport in San Juan.
“Excellent team effort on this case late Tuesday night,” said Lieutenant David Tirado-Tolosa, Coast Guard Air Station helicopter aircraft commander. “The quick actions by FURA and CBP AMO allowed for constant eyes on all five people in the water and their prompt rescue. This mission highlights the high-risk environment our crews, federal, and local partners face every time they respond to a search and rescue. We are very glad everyone made it home safely, as this could have easily had a different outcome.”
The commander urged people to check the weather before venturing out to sea in small vessels, as the next few days are expected to be unsafe for small boats and swimmers in the area.
“I am incredibly grateful for the swift and courageous actions of all the agencies involved in Tuesday’s rescue, especially our partners at the U.S. Coast Guard and Puerto Rico Police,” said CBP Air and Marine Operations Southeast Executive Director Andy Blanco.
“Through strong coordination across agencies, including CBP, FURA, the Caribbean Air and Marine Operations Center, and the Federal Aviation Administration, responders safely deconflicted a congested airspace and ultimately saved lives. This case reflects the professionalism and teamwork required to save lives at sea,” Coast Guard Sector San Juan Search and Rescue mission coordinator Commander Zach Geyer added.
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